McDonald: "Mark is a quality individual"

Head Coach Andrew McDonald is pleased with Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s two new signings as the season draws ever closer.

Australia batsman Mark Cosgrove, a player that McDonald knows well from his time at South Australia and Sydney Thunder, was unveiled as Club Captain yesterday.

The new Head Coach is thrilled to have Cosgrove available in all formats and is also happy to be able to call on the services of experienced New Zealand international all-rounder Grant Elliott in NatWest T20 Blast.

McDonald said: "Mark is a quality player and a quality individual, and having him with us as a player and captain in all forms of cricket is fantastic news for us.

“He adds to the leadership group that we are developing at Grace Road and Ned (Eckersley) will also take on extra responsibility as vice-captain, which will be good for him.

“Mark is a destructive batsman who can bat anywhere at the top of the order and his aggressive approach will be welcome in all formats. Mark has a terrific career record and his leadership abilities will be of great value to Leicestershire County Cricket Club, as well as the runs that he will score.

"Grant is a great player who has been playing in an in-form New Zealand side and is also a good person to have in the changing room. He will bring a big skill-set to the dressing room and also has good leadership abilities, so we are happy to have him on board.

“We have a number of players who have played at the highest level like Mark and Grant along with Clint McKay, Niall O’Brien and Rob Taylor. We also have some exciting young prospects, so there is a nice blend of youth and experience.”

McDonald will soon be arriving at Grace Road but has been having an impact on the club since his appointment in early November. The players have been working hard and have prepared well for the first game of pre-season against Leeds-Bradford MCCU at Grace Road tomorrow (11am).

He said: "It's been a little bit different coaching via distance but we live in a modern world and there are all kinds of communication that we have been using regularly. There have been lots of emails, phone calls and meetings through Skype.

“The planning is going very well and I have had good helpers at Grace Road in Ben Smith, Lloyd Tennant and the backroom team. Ben and Lloyd have taken charge of the winter programme and the boys are full of optimism.

"Things are rolling along smoothly. Pre-season is a good time of the year with no pressure of wins and losses. There is good competition for places and we are fully preparing for the first Championship game of the season against Glamorgan.

“The lads have been looking forward to getting outside this week and will start their pre-season match programme shortly. It is an exciting time of year and I know that everybody is keen to have a successful summer, so I can’t wait to get here and get stuck in.”

* As well as speaking to www.leicestershireccc.co.uk, Andrew also gave an interview to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae recently. To listen to that interview, please click HERE